The alleged rape and illegal detention of a 10-year-old girl in Bulandshahr took a new turn when soon after the apex court took suo motu cognisance of the incident and sought details, the state government placed two woman cops under suspension and ordered registration of a case against unknown policemen in the case.
Interestingly, the government action has come despite its claim that the investigation so far has not corroborated the allegation of rape made by the victim.
“The medical examination of the victim confirmed that there was no injury on her private parts. Besides, the pathological report was also negative, suggesting that she was not raped,” disclosed Additional Director General of Police (law and Order) Arun Kumar.
Briefing media persons here on Wednesday evening, the ADG (law and Order) said despite the negative reports, they have taken a serious note of the behaviour of the cops. “We have taken a serious note of the girl being put in the lock-up so we have ordered the suspension of Gayashree Chauhan, the station officer of the Mahila police station of Bulandshahr, along with sub-inspector Sarita Dubey,” he said, adding that an FIR has also been registered against unknown police personal under the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes Act and Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code.
Arun Kumar inadvertently took the name of the victim before media persons but he immediately realised his mistake and not only withdrew his statement but also apologised for his mistake.
When the ADG’s attention was drawn towards the Supreme Court taking suo motu cognisance of the media reports about detention of a 10-year-old rape victim by police in Bulandshahr, he said they would comply with the apex court direction and submit a detailed report of the matter. However, he denied that the government had acted against the erring police officials only when the apex court took the matter seriously.
Earlier in the day, a Supreme Court bench took suo motu cognisance and expressed it’s displeasure over the incident in which the girl was detained by the Bulandshahr police when she went to the police station with her parents to lodge a complaint.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India Altmas Kabir sought an explanation from the state government why a 10-year-old girl was put in the lock-up and asked it to respond on Monday next when the matter would be taken up for hearing.
The gruesome incident took place on last Sunday when the girl had gone to a general store close to her house to buy some essentials. She was reportedly taken away by the accused, a father of three children, and raped.
When the victim and her parents went to the police station to file a complaint, the girl was kept in the lock-up of the Mahila Thana for several hours.
later on Tuesday, the Bulandshahr police arrested the accused for raping the girl and even suspended two women constables.